456 JOURNAL OY THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Cultivation. 



The first essential to success is good, hardy, and sturdy plants. The 

 seed must not be sown too soon, otherwise the plants become spindly 

 before they are planted. 



Exactly when to sow must depend upon circumstances; when a frame 

 with some gentle heat can be requisitioned, the first or second week in 

 April is a good time. 



The author of that interesting book "Kiviera Nature Notes" says 

 " the right moment for planting Gourd seeds, in the opinion of the 

 peasants, is while the church bells are ringing on Easter eve " ; and adds : 

 "I suppose a chapel bell would do just as well. Some chapel bells make 

 noise enough on a Sunday morning to start any Gourd seed germinating. 

 Still one could hardly expect the jangling of schismatical bells to have 

 the same effect as the orthodox carillon." 



Germination is very quick in nearly all Cucurbits, and especially so in 

 the genus Cucurbita. Care should be taken to pot off the seedlings before 

 they get drawn up, using for this purpose light soil. 



For the small varieties and miniature Gourc!s 1 find one potting 

 sufficient, but with the larger varieties, Turk's Caps, Squashes, and 

 varieties of G. maxima, a second potting, some time early in May, will be 

 necessary. 



As soon as the plants are established in their new pots, they should be 

 gradually hardened off in cold frames, and finally the lights of the latter 

 should be taken off during the daytime. Aphides are a great drawback 

 to young plants in their early stages, and if these pests appear they 

 should be vigorously exterminated by fumigation. It sometimes happens 

 that the plants receive during the hardening process a slight check, and 

 mildew is the result. This pest must be got rid of before planting-out 

 time, otherwise the plant is liable to this fungoid trouble all through the 

 summer. Any trace of it must be destroyed with sulphur or some other 

 fungicide. 



By the last week in May or very early in June, should the season be a 

 very cold one, the majority of the plants will be hardy enough for plant- 

 ing out. I need scarcely add that the soil into which the Gourds are to 

 be planted should be as rich as possible. Should the soil be heavy, it is a 

 good plan to give each plant a little light soil to make a start with. 

 Subsequent culture will be tying the shoots to the poles and thinning out 

 the laterals and superfluous points. Stopping the shoots will be necessary 

 to produce fruits low down on either the poles or the pergola. Of course 

 with the latter the first care is to cover well the framework ; this done 

 vigorous stopping will become necessary. 



Plenty of water is a sine quel non to a good crop of fruits, and as the 

 latter swell an occasional watering with liquid manure greatly assists the 

 producing a good crop. 



In gardens where the glass accommodation is limited. It is quite 

 possible to have Gourds without the trouble of raising them under glass ; 

 the seed can be sown where the plants are intended to remain, care being 

 taken to dig in, previous to sowing, some partly decayed stable manure 

 and to obtain a fine seed-bed with sifted soil. 



